Information systems that deal in sensitive information may require high levels of security. When users of a secure information system are co-located with that system, the users may connect directly to the system in a secure environment. On the other hand, when the users are remote to secure information systems, it may be necessary to establish a secure, encrypted communications channel between the user and information system. For example, a U.S. government employee may wish to connect to a classified information system via a laptop computer and a public access network such as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Establishing such a connection may require a high level of security between the computer and the information system to protect the classified data as it traverses the non-secure public network.
To establish the secure, encrypted communication channel between the user and the information system over a public network, the user may employ a Type 1 device. Type 1 products are devices or systems that are certified by the National Security Agency for use in cryptographically securing classified U.S. government information. Generally, Type 1 designation may be reserved for products that have been analyzed and tested for cryptographic security, tamper resistance, mission security, and the like. The Type 1 device may be placed between the user's computer and the non-secure public network over which the user wishes to establish a secure communication channel. The Type 1 device may include the cryptographic algorithms required to establish a secure connection over the public network.
Often, the user may not know ahead of time which public networks and which physical access options may be available. For example, the user may be staying in a hotel that offers public Internet access, but the user may not know ahead of time whether that access is available via wireless local area network (WLAN), Ethernet, dial-up modem, or the like. To be assured of connectivity, the user may have to provide many different Type 1 products, one for each physical access option that is likely to be available. Also, because Type 1 encryption may be processing intensive, the form factor of each Type 1 device may be bulky, heavy, and require external power sources. Thus, there is a need for a Type 1 encryption device that is compact and supports access to multiple networks.